Battery module having structure capable of rapid cooling, and ESS comprising same

Abstract

A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells; a module housing configured to accommodate a cell stack including the plurality of battery cells; and a sprinkler provided through the module housing at one side of the cell stack in a stacking direction, and the sprinkler includes a coupler positioned at an outer side of the module housing and connected to a supply tube that supplies a cooling fluid; a sprinkler head positioned at an inner side of the module housing and connected to the coupler; and an insulation cover assembly having an insulation cover configured to cover the sprinkler head and an impeller assembly configured to cover an opening formed at one side end of the insulation cover in a longitudinal direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A battery module, comprising:
 a cell stack including a plurality of battery cells; 
 a module housing configured to accommodate the cell stack; and 
 a sprinkler provided through the module housing at one side of the cell stack in a stacking direction, 
 wherein the sprinkler includes: 
 a coupler positioned at an outer side of the module housing and configured to be connected to a supply tube that supplies a cooling fluid; 
 a sprinkler head positioned at an inner side of the module housing and connected to the coupler; and 
 an insulation cover assembly having an insulation cover configured to cover the sprinkler head and an impeller assembly configured to cover an opening formed at a first end of the insulation cover in a longitudinal direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein the sprinkler head includes:
 a glass bulb provided to block a cooling fluid injection hole of the coupler and configured to be ruptured to open the cooling fluid injection hole when temperature or a flow rate of gas inside the battery module increases over a reference value; and 
 a holding bracket configured to fix the glass bulb while surrounding the glass bulb. 
 
     
     
       3. The battery module according to  claim 2 , wherein the insulation cover has a cover hole formed at a location corresponding to the glass bulb. 
     
     
       4. The battery module according to  claim 3 , wherein the impeller assembly includes:
 an impeller frame fixed to the insulation cover and having an air input hole; and 
 an impeller disposed in the air input hole and configured to rotate due to the flow of air introduced through the air input hole toward the glass bulb. 
 
     
     
       5. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein the module housing includes:
 a pair of base covers configured to cover a lower surface and an upper surface of the cell stack, respectively; 
 a pair of side covers configured to cover side surfaces of the cell stack; 
 a front cover configured to cover a front surface of the cell stack; and 
 a rear cover configured to cover a rear surface of the cell stack. 
 
     
     
       6. The battery module according to  claim 5 , wherein the battery module comprises a pair of bus bar frames coupled to a first side and a second side of the cell stack in a width direction, respectively. 
     
     
       7. The battery module according to  claim 6 , wherein the sprinkler head and the insulation cover assembly are provided through the rear cover and positioned in an empty space formed between a first bus bar frame of the pair of bus bar frames and a first side cover of the pair of side covers. 
     
     
       8. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein a second end of the insulation cover is coupled to an inner surface of the module housing or the coupler. 
     
     
       9. The battery module according to  claim 8 , wherein a bonding layer is interposed between the second end of the insulation cover and the inner surface of the module housing or between the second end of the insulation cover and the coupler. 
     
     
       10. The battery module according to  claim 9 , wherein the insulation cover assembly is separated from the inner surface of the module housing or the coupler when a temperature inside the module housing rises so that the bonding force of the bonding layer is lost or decreased. 
     
     
       11. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein the battery module comprises at least one guide plate fixed inside the module housing and inclined so that one longitudinal end thereof is oriented toward the impeller assembly. 
     
     
       12. The battery module according to  claim 5 , wherein the battery module comprises:
 an air inlet formed through the front cover; 
 an air outlet formed through the rear cover; and 
 an expansion pad disposed at an inner side of the air inlet and the air outlet and configured to at least partially close the air inlet and the air outlet by expanding when contacting the cooling fluid introduced into the battery module. 
 
     
     
       13. The battery module according to  claim 12 , wherein the expansion pad is at least partially inserted into an accommodation groove formed at an inner surface of the module housing. 
     
     
       14. The battery module according to  claim 12 , wherein the battery module comprises mesh plates respectively disposed at opposite sides of the expansion pad to guide an expanding movement of the expansion pad. 
     
     
       15. An Energy Storage System (ESS), comprising a plurality of battery modules according to  claim 1 .